"The 33"-Road Bike RacingWe set this forum up for our members to discuss their experiences in either pro or amateur racing, whether they are the big races, or even the small backyard races. Don't forget to update all the members with your own race results.

Went ahead and updated my blog with goals, so here are mine for next year so far (may change the further into the offseason we get):

- Get better at crits: Start at least 5 and finish at least 3 P12 Crits
- Podium a P12 RR
- Do Joe Martin SR in the Spring
- Top 10 at Assault on Mount Mitchell
- Do at least 5 multi day Omniums/Stage Races
- Get more comfortable and fine tune aero positon on the TT bike
- Win a P12 TT
- Consistent training during the offseason, hopefully pushing that FTP higher than 4.8w/kg.
- Don't burn out/Have more fun. Do more group rides, more rides with the team. Take a more lax approach on training.
- Don't wreck! Rubber side down!
- Get a freaking new road bike. Stop being cheap and buy the %@#$ thing, even if the team doesn't cover it. The $300 frame has 25,000 miles, it's time.
- Upgrade to Cat 1 (long shot, but if I could get some results, it'd be peachy)

I didn't really come close to winning anything in cat 5, and didn't win until I was a 4, fwiw. Hell I think I only won one cat 4 race, most of my wins were in the 3's.

Same here. Racing in 4s and 5s is quite a bit different than the 3s. 4s and 5s chase down everything they can. If the course doesn't help with selection, everyone thinks they're Cavendish, and they do everything they can to keep the pack together. Once you get to 3s, they start to thoughtfully decide whether or not to chase things down, and this gives more people the opportunity to work to their strengths in the race.

Went ahead and updated my blog with goals, so here are mine for next year so far (may change the further into the offseason we get):

- Get better at crits: Start at least 5 and finish at least 3 P12 Crits
- Podium a P12 RR
- Do Joe Martin SR in the Spring
- Top 10 at Assault on Mount Mitchell
- Do at least 5 multi day Omniums/Stage Races
- Get more comfortable and fine tune aero positon on the TT bike
- Win a P12 TT
- Consistent training during the offseason, hopefully pushing that FTP higher than 4.8w/kg.
- Don't burn out/Have more fun. Do more group rides, more rides with the team. Take a more lax approach on training.
- Don't wreck! Rubber side down!
- Get a freaking new road bike. Stop being cheap and buy the %@#$ thing, even if the team doesn't cover it. The $300 frame has 25,000 miles, it's time.
- Upgrade to Cat 1 (long shot, but if I could get some results, it'd be peachy)

Great goal list and based on the improvements you made from 2012 to 2013 I believe you can get that upgrade, among others. You may have to get away from some of the races down your way as you often have bigger/tougher field. Head up this way so more...

Great goal list and based on the improvements you made from 2012 to 2013 I believe you can get that upgrade, among others. You may have to get away from some of the races down your way as you often have bigger/tougher field. Head up this way so more...

Thanks, yeah I'm hoping to get around a bit more next year. Unfortunately my team kinda stays put around the Atlanta region only, but other than the elite teams, no teams really travel around which kinda sucks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattm

I didn't really come close to winning anything in cat 5, and didn't win until I was a 4, fwiw. Hell I think I only won one cat 4 race, most of my wins were in the 3's.

I'm a cat2 and I've never even won a mass start race. Won a handful of TTs though.

Thanks, yeah I'm hoping to get around a bit more next year. Unfortunately my team kinda stays put around the Atlanta region only, but other than the elite teams, no teams really travel around which kinda sucks.

I'm a cat2 and I've never even won a mass start race. Won a handful of TTs though.

Years after the fact, I discovered I "won" the first race I ever entered. It was a 35+ 4/5 race and I was the first 5 over the line. Yay me.

1) Increase my support system. My team is falling apart, my wife is supportive but I would like to work on more of that and my daughter is interested in cycling so I would like to get the family to more races. As far as the team, well as a Cat4 I am not to worried but I will be keeping a close watch on the teams as I upgrade.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkwaki

I imagined this was going to happen. I emailed him to say congrats and see what was going on but never heard back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thechemist

Supposedly, the "core" is still sticking around but alot of the guys have up and left. I really don't know who the core would be without him. I am assuming that the cat1 and 2s have bailed and the 3,4,5s are somewhat in tack. Works for me as of now but if I get serious I want a better team.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkwaki

As it stands you would have Grolby's old team and a few others. Once you cat up you could contact our guys though our roster has become h-u-g-e and they tend to shy away from guys not in town.

Hey chemist, not to hijack the thread too much with local chatter, but: I encourage you to talk to my guys. For one thing, you're going to be real short on teammates and support, not just in races but overall in camaraderie. This was bad enough before (Tim's a great guy, but the development squad was never a good fit on his team, he just didn't have the attention for it). For another thing, related: your experience with racing teams is limited by definition. I think you will be amazed at the level of team activity and support at IAR. You will not find a more welcoming, supportive and friendly team spirit than you will there. That's always been the best thing about the team, not racing success.

To be clear, because I'm sure there scuttlebutt about this going through the community down there: the team's original base (Harpeth Bicycles) is gone, and the current sponsor has an uncertain future. The future of the team is secure. These guys are committed to sticking together. PM me if you want to know who to talk to (though anyone in green works). I'll vouch for you, but you don't need me to - you'll be welcomed. Seriously, don't stick with NC. Nothing against Tim at all, but you'll be better off as a 4 somewhere else.

Last year I hugely improved my threshold and endurance through focusing specific training on it. Goal number one is to build on that. Goal number two is to get more serious about specific training on the things that now seem to be the bigger obstacles to better results, that is VO2 and anaerobic power and recovery. Goal number three is to race smarter, not harder.

Specific race goals are to make some successful breaks, to podium at least a couple criteriums and accumulate some points for Cat 2. No specific race goals as yet. And I suppose I'm being a bit tentative, as I need to find my riding and racing feet here.

Another 2014 goal is to win or podium a couple cross races and get my CX2 upgrade, but you guys don't care about that.

-Get enough points to get to cat3
-FTP of 300W, at 291W now so it shouldn't be mind blowing hard to achieve but will require work.
-Maintain Weight of 165-170lbs
-Improve my ability to ride in the drops/more aero.
-Motivate my girlfriend to ride more and maybe race.
-Do some track racing
-Do some CX next year.

move to California was my #1 life goal and cycling goal this past year, mission accomplished!

I was going to move either way in January or February if I didn't find a job but I got that base covered so I wont be struggling for food ahah.

Growing up in CA I really took it for granted, the weather, the roads, the environment, the culture, all of it...Then I moved to Ohio and saw everything I was missing. The midwest is cool, but not for me.

-Get my FTP over 300w.
-Get my sprint over 1000w.
-Race often to gain experience and get to Cat4 by spring.
-Get a win and some podiums.
-Finish in the top 5 in the local crit series.
-Stay consistent.
-Keep a good balance between family, cycling, and work.

- Be under 160 going into March (I was 181 this year, 158? in 2010, 170-175 2011-2, and 180-200 2004-2009).
- Win something. Race, prime, something.
- Win one of the Tues Night races. I've never won a normal one (the one I won was rain shortened and I totally gambled on the race ending early).
- SoCal training camp, Interbike, maybe one more trip with the bike. This is the most outlandish goal since the circumstances are out of my control (i.e. who will look after Junior).
- No, the following is the most outlandish goal. I used to be able to hit 42-46 mph pretty much at will, in non-favorable to favorable conditions, with less aero wheels etc than I have now. I want to hit 42 mph in favorable conditions. Right now the max I've done is 38-39 mph in favorable conditions.

- Be under 160 going into March (I was 181 this year, 158? in 2010, 170-175 2011-2, and 180-200 2004-2009).
- Win something. Race, prime, something.
- Win one of the Tues Night races. I've never won a normal one (the one I won was rain shortened and I totally gambled on the race ending early).
- SoCal training camp, Interbike, maybe one more trip with the bike. This is the most outlandish goal since the circumstances are out of my control (i.e. who will look after Junior).
- No, the following is the most outlandish goal. I used to be able to hit 42-46 mph pretty much at will, in non-favorable to favorable conditions, with less aero wheels etc than I have now. I want to hit 42 mph in favorable conditions. Right now the max I've done is 38-39 mph in favorable conditions.

Check this one off the list.
You've won the hearts of bf members round the world for your informative posts and lack of sarcasm as displayed by most...